Melbourne, Australia, 8 January 2023 | Leigh Rogers

James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic lead the Aussie charge in the Australian Open 2023 men’s qualifying singles competition. They are among 15 local contenders hoping to earn a coveted main-draw spot.

If successful, they will join nine Australians already in the main draw. This includes world No.22 Nick Kyrgios, world No.24 Alex de Minaur, Chris O’Connell, Jordan Thompson and Thanasi Kokkinakis, as well as wildcards Jason Kubler, Alexei Popyrin, Rinky Hijikata and John Millman.

The Australian Open 2023 qualifying competition will be held across four days at Melbourne Park, beginning tomorrow. To qualify, players must win three rounds.

Tickets to attend Australian Open qualifying are just $5 for kids and $10 for adults. Fans will also be able to see some of the world’s top-ranked players compete in practice matches at Melbourne Park.

> BUY NOW: Australian Open 2023 tickets

Meet our Australian contenders:

[21] Aleksandar Vukic, 26, New South Wales
At world No.130, Vukic is the highest-ranked Australian in the men’s qualifying singles draw. Vukic enjoyed a major breakthrough at last year’s Australian Open, winning his first Grand Slam main-draw match. He went on to reach three ATP Challenger finals and achieve a new career-high ranking in a career-best 2022 season.
Australian Open career record: 3-4 (2-2 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Second round 2022

James Duckworth, 30, New South Wales
Duckworth begins his quest to make an 11th main-draw appearance in qualifying. The former world No.46 underwent hip surgery after last year’s Australian Open and has subsequently slipped to 155th in the rankings. Duckworth has scored five top-100 wins since returning to the tour, including one last week in Adelaide.
Australian Open career record: 5-13 (1-3 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Second round 2012, 2013, 2015, 2021

Li Tu, 26, South Australia
Tu has earned direct acceptance into a Grand Slam qualifying draw for the first time in his career. It follows a career-best season, where highlights included claiming a maiden ATP Challenger title and breaking into the world’s top 200. Tu, who had started 2022 ranked outside the top 500, also won three ITF titles from five final appearances.
Australian Open career record: 0-2 (0-1 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: First round 2021

> READ MORE: Australian Open 2023 qualifying draws revealed

Max Purcell, 24, New South Wales
Purcell shone on the doubles court in 2022, winning the Wimbledon title and reaching the Australian Open final. He also made his Davis Cup debut and earned a Newcombe Medal nomination. Purcell is now determined to replicate such success in singles. The world No.220 has qualified at the Australian Open once before (in 2020).
Australian Open career record: 4-5 (4-4 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: First round 2020

Marc Polmans, 25, Victoria
After six-month injury lay-off last season, Polmans made a promising return to the tour. He won 14 of his 20 matches at ATP Challenger level between October and November, providing important momentum ahead of his seventh Australian Open qualifying campaign. He is using a protected ranking of world No.209 to compete.
Australian Open career record: 3-9 (2-6 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Second round 2020

> VIEW: Australian Open 2023 men’s qualifying singles draw

Alex Bolt, 29, South Australia
Bolt is contesting Australian Open qualifying for the first time since 2017, when he successfully earned his place in the main draw. Bolt, who is hoping to make a seventh consecutive AO main-draw appearance, missed six months with injury in 2022 and has entered the tournament with a protected ranking of world No.203.
Australian Open career record: 8-9 (4-3 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Third round 2019

Omar Jasika, 25, Victoria
Jasika is competing at the Australian Open for the first time since 2018. The resurgent Melburnian won five ITF titles from eight finals appearances in 2022, helping the former junior Grand Slam champion skyrocket to a career-high ranking of world No.228 and earn direct acceptance into a major qualifying draw for the first time.
Australian Open career record: 3-4 (2-2 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Second round 2016

> READ MORE: Jasika targeting a top-100 breakthrough in 2023

[WC] Dane Sweeny, 21, Queensland
Sweeny halved his ranking and broke into the world’s top 250 during an outstanding 2022 season. The 21-year-old was a consistent performer at ITF Futures level, winning six titles from seven finals appearances. This is his third Australian Open qualifying campaign and he is targeting a main-draw debut.
Australian Open career record: 2-2 (2-2 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Qualifying second round 2022

[WC] Tristan Schoolkate, 21, Western Australia
This is Schoolkate’s fourth Australian Open qualifying campaign. The 21-year-old continues to improve, advancing to three ITF finals during 2022 and achieving a career-high ranking of world No.367 last month. He scored his second career top-200 win at an ATP Challenger in Canberra last week.
Australian Open career record: 1-3 (1-3 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Making debut

> READ MORE: Thirteen Aussie women to contest AO 2023 qualifying

[WC] Adam Walton, 23, Queensland
Walton graduated from US college last year and immediately made an impact on tour. He was unranked in July, but has since soared into the world’s top 450. The 23-year-old from Brisbane won three ITF Futures titles and claimed a first top-150 win during an ATP Challenger in Sydney in November. This is his Grand Slam-level debut.
Australian Open career record: 0-0 (0-0 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Making debut

> VIEW: Australian Open 2023 qualifying day one schedule

[WC] James McCabe, 19, New South Wales
McCabe was ranked outside the top 1200 when he made his Grand Slam debut in AO 2022 qualifying. He returns after an impressive year, which saw him reach two ITF finals and improve his ranking by more than 800 places. McCabe demonstrated his potential at an ATP Challenger in October, pushing world No.85 Jordan Thompson to three sets.
Australian Open career record: 0-1 (0-1 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Qualifying first round 2022

[WC] Philip Sekulic, 19, Queensland
Sekulic made an impressive Grand Slam debut in AO 2022 qualifying, reaching the second round. It kickstarted a big year for the Queensland teen, who progressed to 10 quarterfinals at ITF Futures level throughout 2022. This helped the highly rated Sekulic almost half his ranking and break into the world’s top 500.
Australian Open career record: 1-1 (1-1 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Qualifying second round 2022

> READ MORE: Philip Sekulic – A rising star of Australian tennis

[WC] Edward Winter, 18, South Australia
A stunning upset of former world No.6 Gilles Simon in his Australian Open qualifying debut last summer proved Winter is one to watch. The 18-year-old also claimed his maiden ITF Futures singles title in November and was named the Male Junior Athlete of the Year at the 2022 Australian Tennis Awards.
Australian Open career record: 1-1 (1-1 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Qualifying second round 2022

[WC] Jeremy Jin, 18, New South Wales
The hard-working Jin contested all four junior Grand Slams in 2022, while juggling his final year of high-school studies. The 18-year-old is now set to make his major-level debut as a professional. Jin, who names Daniil Medvedev as his favourite player, has successfully qualified at three ATP Challenger tournaments over the past three months.
Australian Open career record: 0-0 (0-0 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Making debut

> READ MORE: Jeremy Jin – A rising star of Australian tennis

[WC] Derek Pham, 18, Western Australia
At world No.1017, Pham is the lowest-ranked competitor in the Australian Open 2023 men’s qualifying singles field. The 18-year-old was impacted by a shoulder injury throughout 2022, restricting him to only five tournaments. Yet he showed his potential to reach a first ITF final, as a qualifier, in New Zealand last month.
Australian Open career record: 0-0 (0-0 in qualifying)
Australian Open best result: Making debut

> READ MORE: Derek Pham – A rising star of Australian tennis

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